Shoe



July 30, 1940- J. B. com 2,209,387

SHOE

Filed May 2s, 193s i ,V ,uf /l/ y /V Av l y 1 ,I /3 Lf; k7

INVENTOR Mor ATTORNEYS Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED. STATES PATENTOFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and particularly toimprovements whereby the soles of shoes are made flexible so that nobreaking in is necessary before the shoe is comfortable to the foot.

The invention is applicable to all types of shoes and slippers in whichinner and outer soles are employed, whether made by the Goodyear welt,Little-way, McKay, cement, or other known process. The advantages of theinvention may be secured regardless of the thickness of the inner solein any of these types of shoes.

In shoes of the kind described, the inner sole consists of a continuousstrip of leather or substitute therefor, to which the upper is secured.'nie outer sole may be of leather, composition, rubber or othermaterial. The two layers, secured together, stiifen the bottom of theshoe so that in the experience of most wearers the shoe is notcomfortable until it has been flexed by wear sufliciently to reduce thisstiffness materially. vvOften the shoe is half worn out before the soleis sufficiently flexible for comfort.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a method of makingshoes and an improved insole for shoes whereby the completed shoe has aninitial flexibility which makes it comfortable to the wearerimmediately.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shoe structurewhich avoids cracking of the insole due to perspiration and in which theinsole is capable of movement relative to the outsole, affording therebya healthy massaging effect on the palm of the foot.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it isbetter understood by reference to thefollowing specification and theaccompanying drawing, illustrating the preferred embodiments of theinvention, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing the inner andouter soles and a portion of the upper to indicate the relation of theseparts, it being understood, however, that the outer sole need not besecured by a welt and that the upper may be secured to the insoleotherwise than as shown;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view illustrating a portion of an insoleembodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the application ofstrengthening canvas to the lip of the insole.

The invention may be applied to all types of insoles including so-calledEconomy, Gem, and "shpulder insoles, and also plain insoles in whichthere is no channeling. It will be described more particularly withreference to the manufacture of a typical shoe, but it is understoodthat the invention is not limited to this type.

In carrying out the invention, I provide an insole, preferably ofleather, suitably shaped and sized. A plurality of parallel transverseslots are provided in the insole, preferably with transverse slitsinterposed. The first slot is disposed substantially at the break of theball, and the slots and slits are spaced about 1% inch apart, to withinabout one inch of the toe. The slots are preferably about nl; inch inwidth and extend across the shoe to substantially the edges of thechannel, if one is used, otherwise to approximately the same points. Theslits are merely cuts in the insole parallel to the slots. The spacingand the width of the slots may be varied, but the dimensions noted arebest adapted to accomplish my purpose. l

'I'he provision of narrow slots and the additional slits, if the latterare used, affords in the .insole a degree of exibility at the section ofthe sole where the shoe is flexed in walking. When the outer sole issecured, if cement is used, it is applied only around the outer edges,leaving the inner space free so that relative movement between the innerand outer soles is possible. Instead of stiffening the outer sole as isusual in shoes as heretofore constructed, the inner 'sole issubstantially free and flexible, and consequently the outer sole bendswithout restraint, thus giving to the shoe an initial flexibility whichheretofore has not been possible.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated the application of theinvention to a typical shoe construction, with the understanding thatthe details other than the provision of slots to afford flexibility arenot essential. Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a portion of theouter sole extending to the shank 6, and 1 indicates the inner solewhich is channeled to afford a lip 8 to which the upper 9 is secured.The inner and outer soles are held together by stitching I0 extendingthrough the lip 8 and the lower edge of the upper, and stitching I0extending through the Welt I I and the outer sole.

The inner sole 1, in accordance with the invention, is provided with aplurality of pmallel transverse slots I2 and interposed slits Iii-spacedbetween the ball and the toe.

In manufacturing the shoe, the insole 'l in this particular type ischanneled at I4, and the portions of leather cut away from the bodythereof are 'drawn upwardly and cemented to form a lip l to which theupper of the shoe is secured by stitching. 'I'he insole is alsosubjected to the action of a die to cut the slots I2 and the slits I!therein, as indicated in Fis. 2.

If the insole is of relatively thin material, it may be necessary toreinforce the lip. For this purpose, canvas may be cemented onto theunder face of the insole and about the inner face of the lip. The insoleis then tacked upon the last, and the manufacture of the shoe proceedsinl accordance with the regular practice. After the shoe has been sewedor in-seamed, the canvas is cut from the main portion of the insoleclose to the stitches and, except for the part Il thereof cemented tolip I, is removed entirely to expose the inner surface of the insole andthe slots therein, as indicated in Fig. 1. Where filling is required inthe channel of the insolepthe filling is applied only at the channel.

If the shoe is of the Goodyear welt type, as shown in Fig. 1, theoutsole is cemented only around the welt and in-seam of the shoe, andthe center of the outsole and insole are left free so that they may moverelatively during the flexing of the shoe. In making shoes, whereshoulder insoles are used, it is not necessary to use canvas toreinforce the lip. In making shoes by the Little-way, McKay or cementprocess, or in the manufacture of slippers where extremely light-weightinsoles are used, -no channeling is required. IHence, as indicatedabove. the invention is independent of such steps as channeling andother details of the manufacture of shoes. and depends upon theprovision of an insole having transverse slots, with or without theaddition of slits interposed between the slots, to afford flexib ity inthe finished shoe.

Va ous changes may be made. therefore. in the application of theinvention without departing from the essential feature thereof.

I claim:

A shoe having an outsole and an insole, the insole having a slottedregion extending approximately from the break line of the shoe to thetoe portion thereof, said insole being secured to the outsole at thesides thereof opposite said slotted region but being not secured to theoutsole at said slotted region, the slots in said region extendingentirely through the insole and extending continuously in the samegeneral direction and in generally parallel relation, in a directionsubstantially normal to the longitudinal center of the shoe, from theportion of the insole at one side thereof which is attached to the upperto the portion thereof at the other side which is attached to the upper.

JAMES BLAINE CORT.

